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The Lego Batman Movie

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The Lego Batman Movie
Company typeAnimated film
IndustryFilm
FoundedFebruary 10, 2017; 9 years ago (2017-02-10)
FounderChris McKay (director), Seth Grahame-Smith (story)
Headquarters
United States, Australia, Denmark
Key people
Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Chris McKay, Seth Grahame-Smith, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
ProductsAnimated superhero comedy film
Websitewww.warnerbros.com/movies/lego-batman-movie

The Lego Batman Movie is a 2017 animated superhero comedy featuring characters from DC Comics and inspired by the Lego Batman toy collection. This film marks the directorial debut of Chris McKay, with a screenplay adapted from a story by Seth Grahame-Smith. Produced through a collaboration between the United States, Australia, and Denmark, it serves as the initial spin-off within The Lego Movie series and the franchise’s second feature overall. The cast includes Will Arnett reprising his role as Batman from The Lego Movie, alongside performances by Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, and Ralph Fiennes. The storyline follows Batman as he confronts his inner fears while attempting to stop the Joker’s newest scheme to seize control of Gotham City.

The film’s development commenced in October 2014 after Warner Bros. announced plans for several Lego-based movies following the success of The Lego Movie. Chris McKay took over directing duties after Rob Schrab withdrew from the project. Drawing inspiration from classic comedies such as The Naked Gun and Airplane!, casting was conducted between July and November 2015. The movie pays homage to earlier Batman adaptations and incorporates characters from various other franchises. Animation work was completed by Animal Logic, with the musical score composed by Lorne Balfe.

After premiering in Dublin on January 29, 2017, the film was released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on February 10. It garnered acclaim for its animation quality, voice performances, musical score, visual design, and comedic elements. The movie earned $312 million globally against an $80 million production budget. A sequel titled Lego Superfriends was announced in 2018 but was ultimately cancelled following Universal Pictures’ acquisition of Lego film rights in 2020.

Plot

Set within a Lego universe focused on DC characters, Batman serves as Gotham City’s protector and crime fighter. During an operation to prevent the Joker from wreaking havoc on the city, Batman succeeds but inadvertently insults Joker, who then seeks retaliation.

Bruce Wayne attends a gala honoring Police Commissioner Gordon’s retirement and celebrating Barbara Gordon’s promotion. Distracted by Barbara, Wayne agrees to become guardian to orphan Dick Grayson. He becomes upset when Barbara reveals her intention to reform the police force without Batman’s involvement. The Joker disrupts the event but surrenders alongside his henchmen, except for Harley Quinn. With Gotham’s villains imprisoned, Batman falls into despair as he feels obsolete.

Suspecting that Joker is plotting further mischief, Batman devises a plan to steal Superman’s Phantom Zone projector, a device capable of banishing criminals to a perilous dimension. Alfred encourages Bruce to nurture Dick, who then adopts the Robin persona. Together, Batman and Robin retrieve the projector from Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, infiltrate Arkham Asylum, and exile Joker to the Phantom Zone. Barbara detains them afterward, suspecting Joker intended to be banished.

Harley Quinn later steals back the projector and frees Joker along with other villains trapped in the Phantom Zone, including Sauron, who reveals Batman’s true identity as Bruce Wayne—though Joker mistakenly believes they are roommates. The villains proceed to devastate Gotham and take control of Wayne Manor. Recognizing Gotham still requires his protection, Barbara releases Batman and Robin; they join forces with Alfred to combat the threat. Batman faces Joker alone, burdened by fear of loss.

Joker sends Batman into the Phantom Zone and steals bombs aimed at destroying Gotham. Inside the Phantom Zone, warden Phyllis confronts Batman with his past mistreatment of allies; he acknowledges his fear of forming family bonds and resolves to change. Returning temporarily to reality, Batman rescues his team and expresses remorse for abandoning them; Barbara assumes the role of Batgirl.

With assistance from former villains turned allies, they defeat the escaped criminals and return them to the Phantom Zone. Joker’s bombs cause severe damage beneath Gotham’s surface. Batman persuades Joker to assist in saving the city by offering him a sense of purpose. Together with residents and reformed villains, they restore Gotham.

Batman reveals his identity to Robin and prepares once more to enter the Phantom Zone but is stopped by Phyllis, who acknowledges his heroism. Confident in his team’s capabilities, Batman allows his adversaries some advantage before departing.

Voice cast

Several actors contribute voices for Batman’s iconic villains, including:

Additionally, villains from other franchises appear:

  • Jemaine Clement voices Sauron,
  • Lindhome also portrays the Wicked Witch of the West,
  • Eddie Izzard provides the voice for Lord Voldemort,
  • Seth Green voices both King Kong and Swamp Creature,
  • Lauren White voices Medusa,

and

The Batcomputer ('Puter), an AI managing Batman’s equipment, is voiced by Siri.

Development

Following the success of The Lego Movie, Warner Bros. announced multiple Lego-related films in October 2014, including The Lego Batman Movie, a spin-off centered on Batman. Initially slated for release on May 26, 2017, with The Lego Movie 2 planned for May 25, 2018, the release date was later advanced to February 10, 2017. Chris McKay, who co-directed The Lego Movie, was chosen to direct this project solo. Will Arnett returned to voice Batman, while Seth Grahame-Smith contributed the story. Producers included Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller.

Producer Dan Lin described this film as a family-friendly take on Deadpool, contrasting it with The Lego Movie, which he likened to a children's version of The Matrix. Director McKay acknowledged that the compressed two-and-a-half-year production timeline restricted his creative latitude despite prior experience. His comedic influences included classics such as The Naked Gun and Airplane!, describing the project humorously as "Jerry Maguire directed by Michael Mann." McKay aimed to unify all iterations of Batman across comics and media into a cohesive portrayal within Lego's character limitations, particularly shaping Robin’s character. He elaborated on this approach:

In 2019, prior to releasing The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Chris Miller revealed that all Lego films take place within the imaginations of child characters. He confirmed that events in The Lego Batman Movie are imagined by Finn and Bianca, although these children do not appear on screen.

Casting

In July 2015, Michael Cera was selected to provide the voice of Robin. The following month, Zach Galifianakis entered the final stages of negotiations to lend his voice to the Joker. By October, Rosario Dawson had been chosen to portray Barbara Gordon, who assumes the identity of Batgirl. In November, Ralph Fiennes was revealed as the voice of Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler. Early reports indicated Mariah Carey would voice Commissioner Gordon; however, she ultimately took on the role of Mayor McCaskill.

Animation

The animation was created by Animal Logic, utilizing Autodesk Maya and Autodesk Softimage software for character animation. For the design of LEGO models, Lego Digital Designer was employed.

Batman and pop culture references

The film incorporates a wide array of nods to earlier Batman works, spanning from the 1940s serials to significant movies released between 1966 and 2016, as well as television programs from the 1960s through the 2000s. It also references landmark comics like Detective Comics #27 and The Dark Knight Returns. These elements are woven into the narrative through character dialogue, costumes, and various Batmobiles—mostly depicted in LEGO form except for some live-action clips.

Beyond Batman and Joker, numerous DC villains from comics, films, and animated series appear, including characters such as Man-Bat, Captain Boomerang, King Tut, Hugo Strange, and Condiment King. The film also features heroes from the Justice League and Super Friends, like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, Cyborg, Green Arrow, among others. A humorous mention is made of Marvel’s Iron Man in connection with Batman’s Batcave password.

Additionally, characters from other LEGO franchises are integrated into the story: Medusa (from Lego Minifigures), creatures from Lego Monster Fighters, King Kong, Daleks (from Doctor Who), the Wicked Witch of the West (from The Wizard of Oz), the Kraken (from Clash of the Titans), Agent Smith (from The Matrix), Jaws’ shark, Lord Voldemort (from Harry Potter), Sauron (from Middle-earth), dinosaurs from Jurassic Park, Skeleton Warriors (from Jason and the Argonauts), and Gremlins. The Gremlins’ assault on the Batwing is a tribute to The Twilight Zone. Villains initially intended from Kill Bill, Gangs of New York, and Misery were ultimately removed.

Further cultural references include Batman’s laughter at Tom Cruise’s "You complete me" line from Jerry Maguire, a nod to Fox Force Five from Pulp Fiction, and homages to episodes of The Avengers. Other film references span titles such as The Maltese Falcon, THX 1138, Total Recall, Die Hard, Never Been Kissed, Bad Boys, Gleaming the Cube, and Gymkata.

Billy Dee Williams returns as Two-Face, connecting to his portrayal of Harvey Dent in the 1989 Batman movie; this marks his second role in a LEGO film after voicing Lando Calrissian in The Lego Movie. Director Chris McKay noted that Chicago inspired Gotham City’s design due to Christopher Nolan’s choice of filming locations for The Dark Knight Trilogy. The film also includes an inside joke referencing actors Arnett and Cera’s uncle-nephew relationship in Arrested Development.

Music

The Lego Batman Movie marks the first installment in the series not to feature a score by Mark Mothersbaugh; instead, the soundtrack was created by Lorne Balfe. Released by WaterTower Music on February 3, 2017, the album was available as a two-disc CD and digital download, with a vinyl version issued later on May 19, 2017.

Marketing

The film's initial teaser trailer premiered on March 24, 2016, set to Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow", and was screened alongside Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Additional trailers released through November 2016 showcased nods to every live-action Batman portrayal. More than twenty Lego sets themed after the movie were introduced, including two series of Collectible Minifigures. On February 10, 2017, a Lego Dimensions Story Pack tied to the film launched, featuring a six-level campaign and playable characters such as Robin and Batgirl. A Fun Pack with Excalibur Batman was released concurrently.

At the North American International Auto Show on January 14, 2017, Chevrolet revealed a full-scale Lego Batmobile constructed from roughly 350,000 bricks. Promotional activities also involved projecting a Bat-Signal alternating with the Chevrolet logo onto Detroit's Renaissance Center, alongside airing a Chevrolet advertisement that integrated the Batmobile within its "Real People, Not Actors" campaign.

Warner Bros. implemented various marketing collaborations during the movie’s release week. LEGO billboards depicting multiple television series were erected outside the studio lot, assembled from 10,000 bricks over a span of 300 hours. Simultaneously, McDonald's distributed Happy Meal toys themed around the film. The TV show The Big Bang Theory aired a LEGO-themed opening sequence and LEGO-centric commercials.

The The CW network incorporated LEGO end cards for its DC Universe series—Supergirl, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow—and debuted a unique Berlanti Productions logo variant featuring Batman with a modified voiceover. Additionally, commercials aired on the network portrayed Batman interacting with characters from these shows.

Theatrical

The movie held its world premiere in Dublin, Ireland on January 29, 2017. It then opened widely starting February 8, followed by Denmark on February 9, and both the United States and United Kingdom on February 10. Screening formats included 3D, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, IMAX 3D, and 4DX, though availability varied by region.[1]

Home media

On May 19, 2017, The Lego Batman Movie became available in Digital HD format, including the theatrical short The Master: A LEGO Ninjago Short plus four additional shorts: Dark Hoser, Batman is Just Not That Into You, Cooking with Alfred, and Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That?. This release also featured audio commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and deleted scenes.[2] Warner Bros. Home Entertainment followed with DVD, Blu-ray (both 2D and 3D), and Ultra HD Blu-ray editions on June 13, 2017.[2] The title debuted at number three on the NPD VideoScan disc sales chart, moving 1.9 million units and generating $41 million in revenue. It ranked as the sixth-best-selling animated title of that year behind Moana, Trolls, Sing, Despicable Me 3, and Cars 3, placing fourteenth overall among all releases in 2017.[3]

Box office

The Lego Batman Movie achieved a total gross of $312 million globally, comprising $175.8 million from the United States and Canada and $136.2 million from other international markets, all against an $80 million production cost.

In the North American market, the film premiered alongside Fifty Shades Darker and John Wick: Chapter 2, with forecasts estimating around $60 million across 4,088 theaters. It generated $2.2 million during Thursday preview screenings and earned $14.5 million on its opening Friday, culminating in a $53 million debut that secured the top spot at the box office. During its second weekend, it brought in $32.7 million—a 38.4% decrease—yet maintained first place; including the President's Day holiday, the total reached $42.7 million. By the third weekend, it slipped to second position behind Get Out, with earnings of $19.2 million, reflecting a 41.2% decline.

On the international front, the movie launched in 61 countries and was anticipated to collect approximately $40 million over three days, ultimately earning $37 million. Key markets included the United Kingdom with $9.3 million, Mexico at $2.6 million, Germany contributing $2.3 million, and Russia with $2.2 million. The film remained at the top of the UK box office for three consecutive weeks before being surpassed by Logan. In China, it opened with a $3.7 million take, ranking fourth behind Logan, A Dog's Purpose, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.

Critical response

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating based on a set number of reviews, averaging a positive score. The critical consensus reads: "The Lego Batman Movie perpetuates its successful franchise streak by delivering another round of hilariously fast-paced—and exquisitely animated—family entertainment." It was once ranked as the 23rd greatest superhero film on the platform but dropped to 30th by January 2025. On Metacritic, it received a score of 75 out of 100 from 48 critics, signifying generally favorable feedback. Audience polling by CinemaScore yielded an average grade of "A−."

Mike Ryan from Uproxx commended the movie’s humor and its intelligent nods to previous Batman films, emphasizing its appeal for DC superhero enthusiasts looking for lighthearted fun amidst darker narratives. Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly gave it a "B+" rating, highlighting its energetic tempo and entertaining incorporation of corporate branding. Tara Brady from The Irish Times awarded four stars out of five, praising director Chris McKay for blending humor with character complexity effectively.

Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times characterized it as a witty, joke-packed tribute to Batman that skillfully balances both satire and revelation. J. R. Jones from the Chicago Reader likened its relentless energy to Mad Max: Fury Road tailored for younger viewers but found it less captivating than the tactile Lego building experience itself. Peter Howell of The Toronto Star rated it 2.5 out of 4 stars, commenting on the film’s densely packed script under McKay’s direction. Michael O'Sullivan from The Washington Post applauded its fusion of emotional depth, comedy, and action sequences that fit together seamlessly.

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Reference
AACTA Awards December 6, 2017 Best Sound Gregg Landaker, Rick Lisle, Wayne Pashley, Fabian Sanjurgo and Michael Semanick rowspan="5" Template:Nom
Best Visual Effects or Animation Rob Coleman, Damien Gray, Miles Green, Amber Naismith and Craig Welsh
Annie Awards February 3, 2018 Directing in a Feature Production Chris McKay
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production Zach Galifianakis
Editorial in an Animated Feature Production David Burrows, Matt Villa and John Venzon
American Cinema Editors January 26, 2018 Best Edited Animated Feature Film rowspan="3" Template:Won
Art Directors Guild January 27, 2018 Excellence in Production Design for an Animated Film Grant Freckelton
Cinema Audio Society Awards February 24, 2018 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Motion Picture – Animated Jason Oliver, Michael Semanick, Gregg Landaker, Wayne Pashley, Stephen Lipson and Lisa Simpson
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Video games

Coinciding with the film's release, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment launched an endless-runner mobile game inspired by The Lego Batman Movie for both Android and iOS platforms.

Cancelled sequel

On December 5, 2018, director Chris McKay revealed plans for a follow-up to The Lego Batman Movie, initially slated for a 2022 debut. Nonetheless, following the disappointing box office performance of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in 2019, Universal Pictures secured the rights to Lego films in April 2020. This shift in ownership, combined with Warner Bros.' retention of DC Comics licensing, ultimately resulted in the sequel being shelved.

In June 2021, McKay disclosed that Michael Waldron and Dan Harmon were working on the screenplay. The narrative was intended to delve into Batman’s dynamics with the Justice League, emphasizing his interactions with Superman and featuring Lex Luthor alongside OMAC as antagonists. Waldron also indicated that the project’s working title was Lego Superfriends.

External links

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